Easy Homemade Rhubarb Ice Cream With Raw Milk

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This rhubarb ice cream is a delicious and surprisingly easy treat for any occasion (or no occasion at all!). Once you try homemade ice cream, store bought versions just won’t cut it.

Depending on how much you eat frozen dessert, having an ice cream maker at home may end up saving you a lot in your budget. Not only is it cheaper but you can decide exactly what goes into your ice cream. This is especially handy when you or someone in your family has specific dietary restrictions. 

Raw Milk and Cream

If you can get raw milk from a local source, you are likely to see the delicious cream at the top of your container after the milk sits undisturbed for a few days. When the cream  separates, it’s a perfect time to make this vanilla ice cream base.

The nutrients in the cream, milk and other ingredients will make this into a high quality protein and mineral rich dessert compared to the store bought alternative! 

Egg Yolks

The main culinary purpose for using egg yolks in ice cream is to enhance the texture and color. Because of their lecithin, they help bind water and fat molecules. This improves the overall texture to provide a smooth and creamy ice cream. 

Another reason to include raw egg yolks in your ice cream are the nutritional benefits. Because egg yolks contain all the nutrients needed to create and nourish a potential chicken, they have long been known as an “almost perfect” food. They are rich in protein, many vitamins, minerals and the essential omega-3 fatty acid,

If you are not comfortable with using raw eggs or if you’re not using pasture raised eggs, you can slowly heat all the ingredients in a double boiler to gently cook the eggs. When choosing this option, be VERY careful with heating. If you heat the eggs too quickly or too high, you will end up with scrambled eggs in your cream. 

Ice Cream Toppings

Even if you’re not a fan of adding toppings to store bought ice cream, you might become a fan when you make your own! 

The best time to play with toppings is when you’re hosting. Having plain vanilla or chocolate ice cream with a sundae bar of toppings is a fun dessert that serves many. Fun flavors like rhubarb or strawberry are great for an adventurous crowd!

Some classic toppings you might want to include are whipped cream, chocolate sauce (Like this homemade one!), a variety of nuts, crushed cookies, whole or crushed cherries, chocolate chips and cookie dough. 

If you’re looking to try something extra delicious and non-typical, try adding a fruity or sweet flavored olive oil or balsamic vinegar. It might sound like they don’t go with ice cream but I promise it’s extremely delicious!

Ingredients and Tools For Rhubarb Ice Cream

The Rhubarb Sauce

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1 cup Chopped Rhubarb

⅔ cup Cane sugar

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

A Small Saucepan

An immersion blender

The Ice Cream Base

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⅓ cup Maple syrup

2 tsp Vanilla extract 

2 ½ cups Raw cream

1 cup Raw milk 

5 Egg yolks (or 3 whole eggs)

½ tsp Salt – I Like to use Redmond Real Salt for the minerals 

1 tbsp Arrowroot powder 

Small whisk

4 cup measuring cup or medium mixing bowl

Ice cream maker (either a stand alone machine or a stand mixer attachment)

Directions

The Rhubarb Sauce

Place all rhubarb sauce ingredients into a small saucepan on your stovetop.

Bring to a slight simmer on medium-low heat.

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Once the mixture is well heated, remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Set aside until fully cooled.

Making the Ice cream base

Once your rhubarb sauce is fully cooled, add all ice cream base ingredients except the milk and cream to a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth.

Next, add the cream, milk and rhubarb sauce to the bowl and whisk until well combined.

Add the rhubarb ice cream base to the ice cream churn and follow the directions of your ice cream maker. Depending on your machine, the ice cream making process can take between 15-30 minutes.

TIP: To get EXTRA creamy ice cream, place your ice cream base into the freezer for about 10 minutes. This should not cause it to solidify but it will help speed up the ice cream making process when you add it to your ice cream churn. Your ice cream will also turn out even creamier. 

Once your ice cream is done, you can eat it right away or transfer to a container and store in the freezer for later use. 

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FAQ:

How Long Will Raw Milk Ice Cream Last In The Freezer?

If you and your family don’t eat all the ice cream right away, you can keep it in the freezer for about 3 months. 

Do I Have To Use Raw Milk and Raw Cream?

Without the raw milk and cream, this would not make raw milk ice cream. However, if you do not have access to raw milk and raw cream or do not feel comfortable using raw milk & raw cream, you can use pasteurized heavy cream and pasteurized whole milk. 

If you choose to use pasteurized milk, it is highly recommended to stay away from skim or 2%. The water content in skim and 2% milk are likely to cause crystallization, the enemy of a good creamy ice cream.

Do I Have To Use Raw Egg Yolks?

If you are not comfortable with using raw eggs or if you’re not using pastured eggs, you can slowly heat all the ingredients in a double boiler to gently cook the eggs. When you choose this option, be VERY careful with heating. If you heat the eggs too quickly, you will end up with scrambled eggs in your cream. 

Can I Make This Ice Cream Ahead Of Time?

Ice cream is a great dessert to make ahead of a gathering! The ice-cream will solidify a bit more when you place it in the freezer. Simply take out the ice cream a few minutes before serving to gently soften.

Can I Use a Different Sweetener?

I’ve found maple syrup to be the most compatible in making ice cream due to the ease of mixing into the ice cream base. However, you can definitely use a different sweetener if you prefer. 

If you use a different sweetener, I would advise to make sure it is well dissolved into the base before adding it to your ice-cream maker. 

Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.